10 Best Exercises To Melt Lower Belly Fat
We all know one of the hardest areas of body fat to lose is your lower belly. But to make matters worse, the fat that sits in your lower abdomen—sometimes called your pooch, your pouch, or your gut—is not only frustrating to deal with, but it can also be a predictor of future health issues. In a review of 72 studies, researchers found that the larger the size of your waist, the higher your risk of dying early. (In fact, for every 10cm of added waist size, it raises that risk by 11%!) By staying active and implementing a regular exercise regimen into your routine, you can get your belly back into shape. We have 10 of the best exercises to melt lower belly fat, so listen up.
To trim off that pouch, the tried-and-true method is to use high-intensity exercises that work many muscle groups at once. That way, you create a larger caloric burn and hormonal response while training. Also, a lesser-known tip is to pick exercises that use one leg or arm at a time so you can exercise for twice the duration.
In this article, we're sharing 10 of the best exercises to melt lower belly fat so you can get a leaner, slimmer midsection and enjoy all the benefits, inside and out. For best results, pick a few exercises to do during your workout—not all 10—and split them evenly between your upper body and lower body (ex. two of each) so you get a balanced session. Otherwise, you'll overemphasize certain muscles while neglecting others. Finally, as you do your workouts, keep track of how much weight you use for each movement and gradually increase the weight. That way, you'll continue to make progress for results that increase over time!
Read on to learn all about the best exercises to melt lower belly fat. And when you're finished, be sure to check out the 5 Best Morning Workouts To Speed Up Weight Loss.
Bulgarian Split Squats
Grab two dumbbells, stand facing away from a bench, and rest one foot behind you on the bench. Squat down with the forward leg, and keep that shin vertical. Lean forward as you go down, and keep all the weight on the heel of your forward foot. Complete four sets of six reps per leg.
Kettlebell Swings
Start in a deadlift position with the kettlebell a few feet in front of you. Then, hike the kettlebell back between your legs like a center in football, and explosively drive your hips forward. Imagine propelling the kettlebell to a target in front of you. Keep your arms relaxed. Complete five sets of 10 reps.
Goblet Split Squat
Grab the end of one dumbbell in both hands, and hold it by your chest with your elbows underneath. Stand with one foot about three feet in front of the other so that your knees make two 90-degree angles at the bottom. Drop straight down, and drive with your front heel. Don't let your front knee drift past your toe. Complete four sets of six reps per leg.
Dumbbell Neutral Grip Overhead Press
Grab two dumbbells, and hold them by your shoulders with your palms facing each other. Keep your core tight and your glutes squeezed as you push the dumbbells directly overhead. At the top, your biceps should be next to your ears. Don't lean back or arch your lower back. Complete four sets of six reps.
T-Pushups
Start in a pushup position. Descend to the bottom, and as you're pushing up, extend one hand to the sky. Watch that hand with your eyes. Repeat and reach up with the other arm. To make it more challenging, hold dumbbells. Complete four sets of four reps each way.
Squat + Press
Hold two dumbbells by your shoulders. Stand shoulder-width apart with your toes slightly out. Start the movement by sitting backward and spreading your knees apart. Descend below parallel while keeping your lower back flat. At the bottom, drive through your heels and keep your knees apart. Drive up and push the weights overhead at the same time. Complete four sets of six reps.
TRX Jump Squats
Grab the TRX handles, and stand far enough where there's some tension in the straps. Squat down, and jump as high as you can while pushing down on the straps to give you more lift. Complete three sets of eight reps.
Single-Arm Cable Row
Set a cable handle to chest height. Grab the handle, take a step back, and stand facing the cable. Start the movement by pulling your shoulder blade toward your midline, and row without twisting your torso. Once you finish all your reps, switch sides. Complete four sets of eight reps per arm.
Atomic Pushups
Start with your feet in a TRX suspension trainer or on a sliding surface. Do a pushup, and then pull your knees to your chest and push them back. Repeat. Complete four sets of eight reps.
Walk
If you're serious about losing your belly pooch, walking is a must—it truly is the easiest and lowest-effort way to burn calories and fat. Walk every single day for at least 60 minutes total time, split throughout the day.
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